Dr Prasanth V
Editor, JPID
Prisma-P and Prospero
Systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA)
are the supreme collective scientific evidence
available in our literature. Conducting a SRMA is
a time consuming, relatively expensive team work.
There are many funding options for a relevant
SRMA. Hence it is advisable to check whether our
proposed SRMA is unique or whether someone else
is currently doing it. One can do it by searching
PROSPERO maintained by University of York,
Cochrane library, PubMed and Google Scholar.
It is mandatory to register SRMA; PROSPERO is a
major registration option. PROSPERO doesn’t allow
multiple registrations of the same topic unless
a valid justification can be given. PROSPERO
requires a registration which is free of coast.
Registration can be done by visiting https://
www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ . After login, we
can either register our SRMA or we can search
ongoing SRMA. Having a protocol as per PRISMA-P
guidelines is mandatory for a smooth registration
process. Registration increases the credibility of the
SRMA and eliminates the chance of unnecessary
duplication of the work.
Protocol helps to plan and anticipate problems
associated with SRMA. There are different methods
for preparing the protocol; Cochrane protocols and
PRISMA-P protocols. This editorial will deal with
PRISMA-P protocols. Preferred Reporting Items for
Systematic review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA)
was published in 2015 ( Moher D, Shamseer
L, Clarke M, Ghersi D, Liberati A, Petticrew M,
Shekelle P, Stewart LA. Preferred Reporting Items
for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. Syst Rev. 2015;4(1):1.
doi: 10.1186/2046-4053-4-1). PRISMA-P specifically
talks about protocols, PRISMA about manuscript
writing and PRISMA-S about reporting search
strategies.
PRISMA-P statement (http://www.prisma-statement.
org/Extensions/Protocols ) contains some very
important items. Administrative information
includes identification (Title, original or updated
SRMA), registration details, author information
(primary and contributors), amendments (indicate
ONLY if the protocol is a modification of the earlier
one) and support (information regarding funding).
Introduction includes rationale and objectives.
Methods include eligibility criteria (study
characters like PICO, study design and setting,
time frame etc.), information sources (all intended
digital and other sources), search strategy (MESH
terms, Boolean operators, synonyms etc.), study
records (data management methods like Rayyan,
selection process like who screens the data and
data collection process like MS excel / spread
sheet), data (define al variables), role of bias in
individual studies (describe methods for assessing
risk of bias at study level or outcome level or both),
data synthesis (describe the statistical aspects),
meta bias (publication bias among studies,
possibility of selective reporting) and confidence
in cumulative evidence.